City · California
Solvang, California
Solvang, city, in Santa Barbara County, California. Solvang had 5,944 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,126 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,034 (±29). GEOID 0672576.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,944
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,126 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,034 ±29
Median household income
$109,091
±$17,538 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$949,600
±$93,054 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,666
±$199 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Solvang and what county is it in?
Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, California. It covers 2.4 square miles of land, 2,526 residents per square mile in 2020.
Solvang is in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Solvang, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,944 people lived in Solvang on July 1, 2025, down 2.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 6,126 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,034 (±29).
| Measure | Solvang | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,034 ±29 | 443,701 | +230 |
| Households | 2,726 ±266 | 149,608 | +346 |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.21 | 2.81 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,813 ±264 | 160,592 | no clear change |
Solvang's population since 2000
From 5,332 in 2000 to 5,944 in 2025: up 11.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Solvang as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Solvang?
The median resident of Solvang is 54.2 years old; 13.4% are under 18 and 33.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 25.4%. 21.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Solvang | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.2 ±3.9 | 34.6 | +8.4 |
| Under 18 years | 13.4% ±3.4 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 33.4% ±4.6 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Male | 45.2% ±3.7 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 25.4% ±5.6 pts | 48.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.1% ±5.9 pts | 40.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.4% ±3.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 21.1% ±5.0 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 29.5% ±5.9 pts | 40.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.1% ±2.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| With a disability | 12.7% ±3.4 pts | 11.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.2% ±3.6 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.2% ±3.3 pts | 81.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 38.2% ±5.7 pts | 36.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.4% ±3.3 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.0% ±3.5 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±1.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Solvang earn?
Half of Solvang's 2,726 households earn less than $109,091 a year (±$17,538), against $98,161 in Santa Barbara County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $102,678 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Solvang | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,091 ±$17,538 | $98,161 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $160,132 ±$21,125 | $140,893 | – |
| Per capita income | $71,717 ±$7,823 | $48,028 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.3% ±4.9 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.1% ±15.6 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.1% ±4.7 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±3.2 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.5% ±4.6 pts | 92.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Solvang?
Owners occupy 57.0% of Solvang's occupied homes and renters 43.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $949,600 by its owner (±$93,054). The median renter pays $1,666 a month including utilities, and 42.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Solvang | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $949,600 ±$93,054 | $790,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,666 ±$199 | $2,131 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.4% ±15.3 pts | 49.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,836 ±$675 | $2,973 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.0% ±7.7 pts | 52.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.0% ±7.7 pts | 47.6% | – |
| Housing units | 2,813 ±264 | 160,592 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 47.1% ±6.7 pts | 56.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.5% ±3.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.6% ±3.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.5% ±4.8 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.4% ±5.0 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Solvang building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Solvang in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 0.8 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Solvang work and get to work?
67.1% of Solvang's workers drive alone and 15.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.2 minutes.
| Measure | Solvang | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.3% ±6.1 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 67.1% ±8.1 pts | 64.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.7% ±4.2 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Walked | 8.1% ±5.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.8% ±5.1 pts | 13.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.2 min ±4.9 | 20.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Solvang?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Solvang, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $116,827 (Tract 19.09) to $117,875 (Tract 19.10).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 19.10Santa Barbara County | 2,762 | $117,875 |
| Tract 19.09Santa Barbara County | 3,870 | $116,827 |
| Tract 19.08Santa Barbara County | 5,087 | $111,023 |
| Tract 19.07Santa Barbara County | 808 | $70,417 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Solvang) · Census block assignment files
How does Solvang compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Solvang is the 4,441st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 418th-most populous of 483 in California.
Solvang ranks 366th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 418th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 304th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 521st | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 366th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 183rd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 248th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 608th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 415th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 386th | 988 |
| Median age | 99th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 751st | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 415th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 428th | 1,069 |
Solvang's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Solvang with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Solvang?
13 of the 57 figures for Solvang on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Solvang are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Solvang.